Ch.11 Sec. 3 Age of Napoleon

Napoleon built a vast empire, but lost it also. Main Idea Napoleon built a vast empire, but lost it also. Nationalism spread as a result of the French Revolution

I. Rise of Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. He went to a military school in France on a scholarship. By 1785 he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the French army. He educated himself in philosophy & the great military campaigns.

By 25, he was made brigadier general by the Committee of Public Safety By 25, he was made brigadier general by the Committee of Public Safety. He won battles in Italy. Napoleon’s intelligence, charm, wit, and decisiveness won the support of troops and other high ranking officials. When he returned from Italy he was viewed as a hero.

Napoleon (age 30) took part in the coup d etat that overthrew the Directory. This new gov’t was called a consulate. Napoleon held absolute power. 1. appointed members of the bureaucracy 2. controlled the army 3. conducted foreign affairs 4. influenced the legislature By 1802 he made himself consul for life, and in 1804 he crowned himself Emperor.

II. Napoleon’s Domestic Policies Napoleon made peace with the Church. In 1801 he and the Pope made an agreement to recognize Catholicism as the religion in France. Napoleon made the Church & people who seized the lands happy. Napoleon’s most famous domestic achievement was codifying French laws (a single law code)

The most important new code was the Civil Code which; Recognized equality before the law Right to choose a profession Religious toleration End of serfdom & feudalism Outlawed unions and strikes Things it undid; 1.Making divorce hard again 2.Inheriting property for children & daughters became difficult

Napoleon developed a powerful, centralized administration Napoleon developed a powerful, centralized administration. He opened gov’t jobs based on ability. This made the middle class happy.

How did Napoleon preserve the ideals of the French Revolution? By the Civil Code which recognized equality of all citizens before the law, and opened gov’t careers to more people Napoleon also destroyed some revolutionary ideas such as shutting down 60 of 73 of France’s newspapers, screened manuscripts before they were published, had police read people’s mail.

Anne-Louise-Germaine de Stael was a writer that supported Napoleon until she asked him who the greatest woman of history was. He answered “The one who had the most children”. She later denounced him as a tyrant.

III. Napoleon’s Empire Napoleon achieved a peace treaty in 1802, but war was renewed in 1803. His Grand Army defeated Austria, Russia, and Prussia. Napoleon had a Grand Empire with 3 parts; French Empire, dependent states, and allied states The allied states were those Napoleon defeated and forced to join him in war against Britain.

IV. The European Response The two main causes of the quick collapse of Napoleon’s empire were; survival of G.B. force of nationalism Britain survived because of its sea power By Britain defeating a French & Spanish fleet @ Trafalgar (1805) it ended Napoleon’s dream to take over Britain.

The Continental system was intended to stop British goods from entering other countries What are some symbols of American nationalism?

V. Fall of Napoleon Napoleon’s fall began when trying to invade Russia who rejected the Continental System. In 1812, Napoleon’s Grand Army entered Russia, who would not fight (retreated). Russia burned villages. Why? 600,000 entered Russia, only 40,000 returned.

Other European nations attacked the Grand Army Other European nations attacked the Grand Army. Paris was captured in 1814. (Elba) Bourbon monarchy restored! Troops were sent to capture & kill him but they joined him (LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR) Entered Paris in March 1815.

European nations again fought to end Napoleon’s rein European nations again fought to end Napoleon’s rein. Did so @ Waterloo in 1815. Napoleon was defeated by Duke of Wellington.